CSCI 250 Intro to Computer Graphics Syllabus

Spring 2021

 

Classroom location:           online

Class schedule:                   MWF 2:00-2:50PM

Instructor:                            Dr. Don Allison

Office location:                    231 Fitzelle Hall

Phone:                                    436-3439

Email:                                    allisodl@oneonta.edu

Office hours:                         MF 4-5pm

                                                Others by appointment

 

Catalog description:

Fundamentals of computer graphics from a computer science perspective. Topics covered include transformations, projection and viewing, illumination, hidden surface elimination, and ray tracing. Programming projects are an integral part of the course and will reinforce and expand upon topics covered in class.
Prerequisites: CSCI 203 or permission of instructor

 

 

Course goals/objectives:

To learn how to make pretty pictures!  Actually to learn how a computer generates realistic images simulating a camera, and some of the tricks that have been developed to compensate for the fact that unlike nature, our computers can’t trace trillions of photons simultaneously. 

 

Textbooks:

Required: Fundamentals of Computer Graphics, 4th edition, Steve Marschner & Peter Shirley, CRC Press, ISBN-13: 978-1482229394

Strongly recommended: Mathematics for 3D Game Programming and Computer Graphics, 3rd edition, Cengage Learning, ISBN-13: 978-1435458864

 

Reading list/Additional resources:

There are many interesting books on generating graphics images and animation, which is a change from just a few years ago.  Here are some that are (or used to be) in our library:

Isaac Kerlow, The Art of 3D, TK385.S438 2000

Peter Shirley, Realistic Ray Tracing, T385.S438 2000

Dave Shreiner, OpenGL Reference Manual, T385.O642 2000 DIAGRAM

Tomas Moller, Real Time Rendering, T385.M635 1999

Andre LaMothe, Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus, QA76.76.C672 L362 1999 CD-ROM

Mason Woo, OpenGL Programming Guide, T385.N435 1999

David Ebert, Texturing and Modeling, QA76.6.T44297 1998

Alan Watt, The Computer Image, T385.W379 1998

Eric Stollnitz, Wavelets for Computer Graphics, T385.S796 1996

Andrew Glassner, Principles of Digital Image Synthesis, T385.G585 1995

Alan Watt, Advanced Animation and Rendering Techniques, T385.W378 1992

Andrew Glassner, Graphics Gems, T385.G697 1990

Jim Foley, Fundamentals of Interactive Computer Graphics, T385.F63

Donald Greenberg, The Computer Image, T385.C5933 1982

William Newman, Principles of Interactive Computer Graphics, T385.N48 1979

 

 

Tentative schedule: (order of readings & other assignments, by due dates, course activities, course content by expected order of coverage, test dates and test coverage)

 

Aug 16-20

 

 

New Student Orientation

Aug 23-27

Classes Begin

 

 

 

Add/Drop ends Sunday

Aug 30-Sept 3

 

 

 

 

Last day to add a full semester course

Sept 6-10

Labor Day, no classes

Classes resume

Project 1 due

 

 

 

Sept 13-17

 

 

 

 

 

Sept 20-24

TAP certification begins

Project 2 due

 

 

EXAM #1

Sept 27-Oct 1

 

 

 

 

 

Oct 4-8

 

Project 3 due

 

 

College closes after last class

Oct 11-15

BREAK

BREAK

Classes Resume

Interim progress reports due

 

Oct 18-22

 

Project 4 due

 

 

Last day to drop a course

Oct 25-29

 

 

 

 

 

Nov 1-5

 

Project 5 due

 

 

DST ends Sunday…set clocks back

EXAM #2

Nov 8-12

Spring pre-enrollment

 

 

 

 

Nov-15-19

Last day to make up incompletes

 

 

 

 

Nov 22-26

 

College closes after last class

Project 6 due

Last day to withdraw

BREAK

BREAK

BREAK

Nov 29-Dec 3

Classes resume

 

 

 

 

Dec 6-10

Last day to turn incomplete grades

Last day of class

Project EC due

Study day

8MWF

8-10:30

11MWF

11-1:30

2MWF

2-4:30

CSCI 250-01

8:30TR

8-10:30

11:30TR

11-1:30

2:30TR

2-4:30

9MWF

8-10:30

12MWF

11-1:30

CSCI 116-01

3MWF

2-4:30

Dec 13-17

10MWF

8-10:30

1MWF

11-1:30

CSCI 116-02

4MW

2-4:30

10TR

8-10:30

1TR

11-1:30

4TR

2-4:30

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/

http://www.oneonta.edu/admin/registrar/pdf_forms/springkeydates.pdf

 

 

Course requirements:

Students are expected to keep up with the assigned readings for class, in order to be able to participate in class discussions.  To satisfactorily complete the course, students need to pass the tests and complete the programming and homework projects.

 

 

Evaluation procedures:

A student’s grade for this course will be based on a combination of exams, programming and homework projects, and class participation.  The breakdown is as follows:

 

Item

%

Date

Exam #1

20%

24 September

Exam #2

20%

5 November

Final Exam Experience

20%

8 December, 2pm

Projects

36%

---

Class participation

4%

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As you can see, there will be two midterm exams and a final exam experience, contributing a total of 60% of your grade.  The next 36% will be earned by completing several programming projects and/or homework projects implementing simple graphical systems.  The final 4% will be made up of class participation.  The weighted sum of each component will be computed and grades will be assigned based on the total number of points earned using the standard 90-80-70-60 system.

 

 

Attendance policy:

While I do not require class attendance, and would prefer that you sleep in  your room instead of snoring online in class, studies have shown that regular class attendance improves student grades.  In addition, I will be giving sample code and pseudocode for the projects in class, and will be discussing the course material (including the material covered by the tests) in class.  While attending class, students will be expected to comport themselves professionally, and to participate in class activities and discussions.  This is even more important for online classes like this one!

 

Academic dishonesty:

It is expected that all work turned in by a student will be created by the student himself.  Turning in someone else’s code, whether obtained from a classmate or from the internet, without acknowledging the authorship of the code, is plagiarism, and is a serious offense.  As academics, we value ideas and to use someone else’s thoughts without acknowledging them is stealing, and will be dealt with appropriately.

 

That said, however, it IS acceptable to discuss the class content and assignments with your peers and even to collaborate together under certain conditions.  All code and all answers to exams that you submit for grading should be your work alone, or if provided in class, should contain an acknowledgement of its origin in the header comments.  It is, however, acceptable to discuss the algorithms, code samples provided in class, or even the assignments (at a conceptual level) among yourselves.  If you have any questions about what is acceptable and what is not, ask!  It is better to ask and get the answer ahead of time rather than to find out after the fact that what you did was unacceptable.

 

Coding style:

An important part of any computer science class is the programming assignments.  These not only reinforce and extend the concepts covered in class, but also give the student an opportunity to hone their programming skills.  Therefore any programs you turn in should follow good style guidelines and coding standards.  They should exhibit consistent and logical indenting, block comments, function and file headers, sensible variable names, etc.  Every code and header file should start with a block comment containing the class, the assignment number, your name, the date due, and a brief summary of what is in the file.  For example:

 

/*************************************************************/

/*                                                           */

/*  CSCI 250 Computer Graphics                               */

/*  Spring 2021 Program #1                                   */

/*  Author: Don Allison                                      */

/*  Date Due: 7 September 2021                               */

/*                                                           */

/*  This file contains code to generate images using         */

/*  raytracing                  .                            */

/*                                                           */

/*************************************************************/

 

 

 

Late assignment & makeup policy:

Assignments are expected to be turned in by the end of class on the day they are due, and exams are to be taken on the announced date.  Emergencies do arise, however, and sometimes this is not possible.  If you find that you will have to miss an exam or turn in an assignment late, please let me know as soon as possible (preferably before the due date).  Allowances will be made for school approved excuses, such as illnesses, family emergencies, official school trips, etc.  Otherwise, a late penalty will be assessed on assignments turned in after the due date, and makeup exams will be at the discretion of the instructor.  The late penalty for assignments will be 50% for the first week after the assignment is due.  Any assignment turned in more than one week late will be recorded as a zero grade. NO work will be accepted after the last day of class!!!

 

Additional unique aspects of course:

In this course we explore methods to generate realistic looking images.

 

Emergency Evacuation:

The Evacuation Assembly Area for this course depends on where you are watching the lectures.  For more information, see http://www.oneonta.edu/security/

 

Addendum added by the provost

 

Campus Resources

Academic Department Information

·                Department Phone Number: (607) 436-3708

·                Department Email Address:

·                Department Location: 274 Fitzelle

 

Other Resources

·                Academic Advisement

·                Accessibility Resource Center

·                Student Learning Center

·                Milne Library

·                Counseling Center

·                Office of Equity and Inclusion

 

 

Course Policies

See the SUNY Oneonta Course Policies and Procedures web page.

 

Campus “Actions for Safety” Requirements and Guidance

See the Actions for Safety campus web site.

 

 


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